What to do with extra Thome money?

[VAfan]

I posted this on the 700-post Thome trade thread, but think it is worth a discussion on its own.

 

My initial reaction on seeing Thome for Rowand in my morning paper here in N. Va. was oh no. But then I read that the Sox were getting $22 million toward's Thome's contract, and my reaction changed.

 

Here's what I would do with that $22 million if I were Kenny Williams.

 

SIGN BRIAN GILES

 

Face it, Brian Anderson and his 12 K's in 34 ABs is not ready to replace Aaron Rowand in CF. And Chris Young, the likely long term answer, is probably not ready for 2006. Jerry Owens? Intriguing, but you can't count on him being ready either. (Please don't add light hitting Juan Pierre. We have a clone of Pierre already in Willie Harris.)

 

The best move for the Sox would be to go after Giles. This would allow us to bring up one of the kids (to replace Timo Perez) and give them some time in the outfield without having to count on them at all during the season if they aren't ready. Podsednik or Giles in CF is a big defensive dropoff from Aaron Rowand, but the offense from Giles should more than counterbalance that. And if one of the kids is ready, then Giles can rotate between all the outfield slots and DH.

 

Moreover, if you add Giles for about $25 million over 3 years, you could also bring back Frank Thomas with an incentive-laden deal to be the primary DH. The cost of both of them would likely be less than what PK is going to get from someone.

 

This would be the Sox lineup (or you could flip Thome and Giles):

 

Pods - CF/LF

Iguchi - 2B

Giles - CF/LF/RF

Thomas - DH

Thome - 1B

Dye - RF

Crede - 3B (due for a breakout year, Sox need to sign him now for 3 years)

Pierzynski - C

Uribe - SS

 

Not only would we have the best pitching in the AL, but if this lineup could stay healthy, we'd be able to hit and slug with anyone.

 

Giles, Thomas, and Thome each are capable of .400 OBP and .500+ slugging. And Giles has as many steals as Rowand has had, so we're not really losing much speed (sure Thomas is slower than Everett). Plus, for the first time in a long time the Sox would have two left handed high OBP, high slugging hitters.

 

(And Giles would not be a roadblock to bringing up the kids. After Dye's contract expires, you could slide Giles to RF and move Young into CF. Frankly, I don't think Brian Anderson is ever going to be better than a 4th or 5th outfielder.)

 

I say, GO FOR IT.

 

GO SOX!! BACK TO BACK!!!

[aboz56]

Uh, how about just resigning Konerko?

 

Forget Giles, this will never happen. He has narrowed his list to around five teams and the Sox are not on there. Sox don't have any interest anyhow.

 

Giles is older than Dye and Dye is cheaper. You have to keep Dye as long as he wants to stay on the Sox. They will also put up similar numbers going forward. Despite his horrible start, Dye was able to hit 30 HR, hit .274 and drive in 85 runs. I expect similar if not better numbers last year.

 

Pods, Anderson and Dye in the outfield next yr.

 

If Anderson doesn't do well next yr, Young will take over in 2007. If he does well, Anderson moves to LF and Pods will not be on the Sox in 2007.

 

Also Frank is done in a Sox uniform.

 

Nice pipedream though.

[Jimbo's Drinker]

um konerko

[aboz56]

(Frankly, I don't think Brian Anderson is ever going to be better than a 4th or 5th outfielder.)

This my friends, is laughable.

 

He'll be the White Sox centerfielder next season.

 

Get ready.

 

here is next year's lineup

 

Pods

Iguchi

Dye

Thome

Konerko

AJ

Crede

Anderson

Uribe

 

You could possibly see Uribe in the 2 hole if he showed any discipline, I just don't see it happening. All the talk about moving Iguchi down is nice and all, but for how great he was in that spot this past season, I just don't see why you would. If it's not broken, no reason to fix it.

[Greg The Bull Luzinski]

Tryptophan was not the only thing in sombody's turkey. Brian Giles??

[Rowand44]

Just get Pauly signed. Giles in centerfield to replace Aaron is a huge downgrade. Lets get Paul resigned and our middle of the order becomes one of the better one's in baseball to go along with a great top of the order and oh ya...the best pitching staff in baseball.

[Rowand44]

You could possibly see Uribe in the 2 hole if he showed any discipline, I just don't see it happening.  All the talk about moving Iguchi down is nice and all, but for how great he was in that spot this past season, I just don't see why you would.  If it's not broken, no reason to fix it.

If we don't add Pierre or another player like Juan, Gooch is still going to hit 2nd. Also, I know why you put Pauly in the 5 hole but I don't see him batting 5th.

[Chisoxmatt]

Sign Konerko. Thats the only thing left to do.

[SnB]

objective 1: sign paulie

objective 2: sign paulie

objective 3: sign paulie

 

anything else is gravy.

[SoxPride56]

This my friends, is laughable.

 

He'll be the White Sox centerfielder next season.

 

Get ready.

 

here is next year's lineup

 

Pods

Iguchi

Dye

Thome

Konerko

AJ

Crede

Anderson

Uribe

 

You could possibly see Uribe in the 2 hole if he showed any discipline, I just don't see it happening.  All the talk about moving Iguchi down is nice and all, but for how great he was in that spot this past season, I just don't see why you would.  If it's not broken, no reason to fix it.

I agree, but do you really see Konerko batting 5th? I would think the 3-4-5 would be thome pk and dye.

[Guest JimH]

And here we are, the weekly VA wants to sign Brian Giles thread.

 

aboz's response was perfect, not much to add to it.

 

Giles won't be signed by the White Sox VAFan, no matter how many times you post it. And .... drum roll ... I don't think your buddy Ross Gload will be back either.

[aboz56]

If we don't add Pierre or another player like Juan, Gooch is still going to hit 2nd.  Also, I know why you put Pauly in the 5 hole but I don't see him batting 5th.

You could flip him and Dye but I think at this point I want Dye hitting 3rd. He will get much better pitches to hit with Thome and Konerko behind him. I expect a huge year from Jermaine next year.

 

I'm talking 35 hr and 100 RBI.

 

Also gives us a Right-Left-Right-Left combo is why I put Kong 5th.

 

He may or may not hit in that spot.

 

Who knows.

 

Something to ask ozzie at soxfest

[3E8]

I think the ship has sailed on us having any shot at Brian Giles. What we could've done was package Rowand and Marte to some team for a reliever with a reasonable contract, then sign Giles and still be at or below the payroll figure we're at right now.

[timotime]

giles is currently talking to cleveland about playing in RF (according to tom dorr on the score). THERE IS NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER OF SIGNING GILES. aboz is right...how about just resigning kong?

[aboz56]

giles is currently talking to cleveland about playing in RF (according to tom dorr on the score). THERE IS NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER OF SIGNING GILES. aboz is right...how about just resigning kong?

I have also heard Atlanta is a strong possibility now that they have freed up money from Chipper's deal being reworked and also the fact that he wants to play alongside Marcus. Of course Atlanta is still trying to keep Furcal which I don't see happening.

[Rowand44]

You could flip him and Dye but I think at this point I want Dye hitting 3rd.

 

Also gives us a Right-Left-Right-Left combo is why I put him 5th.

 

He may or may not hit in that spot.

 

Who knows.

 

Something to ask ozzie at soxfest 

Right, like I said I understood where you were coming from with that idea. I just think you'll see Paul-Thome in some order in the 3-4 spots. However, Paul isn't exactly the normal number 3 hitter and Ozzie does love splitting up the righties in the middle of his order when he has the chance to. I'll be looking forward to your question at Soxfest...but will you actually ask this one unlike the Reed question you were supposed to ask last year?

[aboz56]

Right, like I said I understood where you were coming from with that idea.  I just think you'll see Paul-Thome in some order in the 3-4 spots.  However, Paul isn't exactly the normal number 3 hitter and Ozzie does love splitting up the righties in the middle of his order when he has the chance to.  I'll be looking forward to your question at Soxfest...but will you actually ask this one unlike the Reed question you were supposed to ask last year?  

I couldn't hammer Kenny in front of all of his supporters last year.

 

2004 fest everyone hated him, this past year everyone loved KW.

 

My main complaint this year will be losing Rooney.

[Texsox]

There is no "extra" Thome money. He was traded for based on the net value of his contract, not the gross. They would not have taken him at full price, probably no one would.

[SSH2005]

This my friends, is laughable.

 

He'll be the White Sox centerfielder next season.

 

Get ready.

 

here is next year's lineup

 

Pods

Iguchi

Dye

Thome

Konerko

AJ

Crede

Anderson

Uribe

 

You could possibly see Uribe in the 2 hole if he showed any discipline, I just don't see it happening.  All the talk about moving Iguchi down is nice and all, but for how great he was in that spot this past season, I just don't see why you would.  If it's not broken, no reason to fix it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with you on the players but your lineup is wrong.

 

Podsednik

Iguchi

Thome

Konerko

Dye

Pierzynski

Crede

Anderson

Uribe

[Chisoxfn]

One thing I want to bring up. Don't forget Jermaine Dye has had injury problems. He was fully healthy last year and I think barring some fluke injury he'll be fully healthy again this year (because he keeps himself in good shape).

 

All that said if the Sox keep Anderson in a 4th outfield role he's ready to step in and help anyone and will also be able to get a few hundred AB's with a lot less pressure.

 

I still think the Sox will be finding someone to play in CF this year and be in the 2 hole.

 

Also, I want Konerko back and he will be back, so unless the Sox want to bring in Giles and resign Konerko, I'll just pass.

[Balta1701]

I like Thome hitting behind Konerko myself, with Dye behind Thome. Gives the Righty-lefty-righty in the heart of the order and gives Thome pretty good protection.

 

Thomas's money should go to Konerko. We have $4.5 million left from the buyout of Thomas's contract.

 

The remaining money from the increased number of people in our ballpark and all those shirts I bought should go to Garland, Pierzynski, Contreras, Possibly Buehrle, and Crede for a time.

[VAfan]

What is laughable is that no one responding to this thread backed up their statements with any meaningful analysis.

 

Brian Giles had a higher RC number and a higher RC27 number than Paul Konerko last year even though he played half his games in cavernous San Diego, where his OPS languished at .795. On the road, it was more than 1.0. His OBP will be around .400. He's left handed. He can play all three outfield positions, and presumably DH. He's likely available for at least $4-5 million per year LESS than Paul Konerko. He allows us to bring back Frank Thomas if he's healthy (whereas Konerko and Thome would swallow up all the 1B/DH ABs for the year).

 

It is also laughable that some of you think Brian Anderson is going to be a full-time major league player in 2006. What part of 12Ks in 34 ABs or his .176 avg. do you like? Is there anything else you have to go on other than guesswork? His AAA numbers? Even those weren't all that good.

 

I would take Anderson over Timo Perez as a 4th outfielder and LIDP if we did sign Giles. But I wouldn't count on him to be an everyday starter. The only thing he's got on Joe Borchard is that he hasn't proven himself to be a bust yet.

 

I know Giles isn't on the Sox' radar. But he should be. And from what I read he wants to play for a team that will consistently contend. So why not the Sox?

 

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if Ken Griffey wasn't on KW's radar now. Of course trading for Griffey would be foolish if you could have Giles for less money and have to give up no players in return.

[SSH2005]

What is laughable is that no one responding to this thread backed up their statements with any meaningful analysis.

 

Brian Giles had a higher RC number and a higher RC27 number than Paul Konerko last year even though he played half his games in cavernous San Diego, where his OPS languished at .795.  On the road, it was more than 1.0.  His OBP will be around .400.  He's left handed.  He can play all three outfield positions, and presumably DH.  He's likely available for at least $4-5 million per year LESS than Paul Konerko.  He allows us to bring back Frank Thomas if he's healthy (whereas Konerko and Thome would swallow up all the 1B/DH ABs for the year). 

 

It is also laughable that some of you think Brian Anderson is going to be a full-time major league player in 2006.  What part of 12Ks in 34 ABs or his .176 avg. do you like?  Is there anything else you have to go on other than guesswork?  His AAA numbers?  Even those weren't all that good. 

 

I would take Anderson over Timo Perez as a 4th outfielder and LIDP if we did sign Giles.  But I wouldn't count on him to be an everyday starter.  The only thing he's got on Joe Borchard is that he hasn't proven himself to be a bust yet. 

 

I know Giles isn't on the Sox' radar.  But he should be.  And from what I read he wants to play for a team that will consistently contend.  So why not the Sox? 

 

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if Ken Griffey wasn't on KW's radar now.  Of course trading for Griffey would be foolish if you could have Giles for less money and have to give up no players in return.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I love Giles' offense but he is also 35 years old just like Thome. We would be getting very old very quickly with Thome and Giles on the same roster. Kenny wants to re-sign Konerko so Thome can DH.

 

You yourself even state that Brian Anderson had only 34 major league at bats. Ever heard of a small sample size?

Edited November 26, 2005 by SSH2005

[GreenSox]

Sign Konerko.  Thats the only thing left to do.

 

We need a 4th outfielder and maybe a 5th. Borchard will probably be one of them.

[SSH2005]

We need a 4th outfielder and maybe a 5th.  Borchard will probably be one of them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I do think Borchard will end up being the fourth outfielder. We don't really need a fifth outfielder since Ozuna can play there. But I really hope we don't re-sign Timo. He'd be a waste of another million dollars.